I have moved on from decadent aristocracies (though not without picking up a historical book on life at Versailles) and am now on Dickens' Little Dorrit. It's been a few years since I've read this one, and it seems so new. You just gotta love Mrs. Clennam, right?

I never did get a devotional work for Holy Week, but I did read a bit of the Chapel library's copy of Introduction to the Devout Life in the Adoration Chapel on Spy Wednesday. I think I'm in love with Saint Francis de Sales now. He has such a simple and sincere writing style, like St. Bernard. I'll just have to chock him up as another possible Confirmation patron...

Just for fun, Conan by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter.

Interesting fact: REH and HP Lovecraft were friends. Hmm...that explains some of the weirdness I find in Conan.

_________________“A thing may be too sad to be believed or too wicked to be believed or too good to be believed; but it cannot be too absurd to be believed in this planet of frogs and elephants, of crocodiles and cuttle-fish.” - G.K. Chesterton

Now it's The Canterbury Tales, since I couldn't think of anything else at the moment I was in the library. Other people need to start contributing to this thread to give me ideas...

But yes, Chaucer. Nothing like a nice, easy read like "Our counseil was nat longe for to seche; Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, And graunted him withouten more avys, And bad him seye his verdit, as him leste."

I like it. The chapters are short, easy to read, and profound. I've never been a fan of self-help/motivational books because they are so often anti-Christian philosophically. Gus Lloyd, though, has managed to keep the focus on God and from a Catholic perspective, to boot! A win-win!

_________________"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." --Douglas Adams

Yes--it's about using one's God-given gifts and talents in His service as laypeople. The focus is on evangelization by example. Attracting people to Christ by being the kind of person people want to know better. In short, being an approachable person.

_________________"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." --Douglas Adams

I finally got The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude the Great. It's wonderful and chock full of great information. It also shows the historical root of devotions such as the Sacred Heart and the Divine Mercy.

For non-devotional reading, I just got Robert K. Massie's biography of Catherine the Great. A bit of a different take from others I've read, so far. I generally agree with him in his view of the Romanovs, and so far this trend continues with Kitty.

_________________It is true that all roads to success are under construction. It is easy to say because, in this city, all roads are under construction. The real surprise is that success lies not in the road, but in the destination. If you don't go to heaven, your life is a failure!